Most people in the world are unaware of the grandeur of the ancient Santana Dharma or Vedic religion which existed prior to the Buddhism, Jainism and present day Hinduism. *****

One of Sage Sri, Sankara’s missions was to wean people away from ritualistic approach advocated by Mimamsakas and to project wisdom (jnana) as the means of liberation in the light of Upanishad teachings. Sage Sri, Sankara criticized severely the ritualistic attitude and those who advocated such practices.

Sage Sri, Sankara: ~ VC-  Let erudite scholars quote all the scripture, let Gods be invoked through sacrifices, let elaborate rituals be performed, let personal Gods be propitiated---yet, without the realization of one‘s identity with the ‘Self’, there shall be no liberation for the individual, not  even in the lifetimes of a hundred Brahmas put together (verses-6)

Why Swami Vivekananda said:~ The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods, and still die like dogs. Where are these Gods?

 Knowing this, stand up and fight! Not one step back that is the idea. ... Fight it out, whatever comes. Let the stars move from the sphere! Let the whole world stand against us! Death means only a change of garment. What of it? Thus fight! You gain nothing by becoming cowards. ... Taking a step backward, you do not avoid any misfortune. You have cried to all the Gods in the world. Has misery ceased? The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods and still die like dogs. Where are these Gods? ... The Gods come to help you when you have succeeded. So what is the use? Die game. ... This bending the knee to superstitions, this selling yourself’ to your own mind does not befit you, my Soul. You are infinite, deathless, and birthless. Because you are the infinite spirit, it does not befit you to be a slave. ... Arise! Awake! Stand up and fight! Die if you must. There is none to help you. You are the entire world. Who can help you? - Swami Vivekananda  (Delivered In San Francisco, on May 28, 1900) -The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 1/Lectures And Discourses/The Gita II

It is because Hindus are idol worshipers of a large number of Gods and Goddesses whereas the Vedic people in Vedic era never worshiped idols and individualized Gods.  Therefore, the truth of the Vedas, one must know the falsity of our inherited non-Vedic religion, which blocks the realization of the Vedic truth, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

Most people in the world are unaware of the grandeur of the ancient Santana Dharma or Vedic religion which existed prior to the Buddhism, Jainism and present-day Hinduism.  The present-day Hinduism is not the ancient Santana Dharma or Vedic religion.

The Hindus believed in polytheism, believing all of their Gods to be separate individuals, which were introduced much later by the founders of Hinduism which contains diverse beliefs caste and creed to help the ignorant populace. 

Many Gods and Goddesses with different form and name are being propagated as Vedic Gods by the saints and founders of different caste and creed in the past. All these conceptual Gods are introduced in place Vedic concept of God which is free from form and attributes.  Puranic Gods are non-Vedic Gods.  Vedas bar worship of such Gods.  

The Vedas do not talk about idol worship. In fact, till about 2000 years ago followers of Vedism never worshiped idols. Idol worship was started by the followers of Buddhism and Jains.  There is logic to idol worship. Vedas speak of one God that is the supreme ‘Self’ in i.e. Atman or Soul but Hinduism indulges in worshiping 60 million Gods.

In Vedas, God has been described as: ~

The Vedas confirms God is Atman (spirit), the innermost ‘Self’.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman (Soul or Spirit) is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman the innermost ‘Self’. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Rig-Veda 1-164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

Rig Veda declares God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why believe and worship in place of real God.

In Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~   It has been said that God Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions. Thus,   Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ “Brahman (God) is the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself”.

Thus, it refers to formless and attributeless God, which is the Atman (Soul), the innermost ‘Self’ within the false experience. Thus, it indicates clearly all the Gods with form and attributes are mere imagination based on the false ‘Self’.  Thus Atman or Soul, the innermost ‘Self’ is God.

As indicated in ISH Upanishads: - By worshipping Gods and Goddesses you will go after death to the world of Gods and Goddesses. But will that help you? The time you spent there is wasted because if you were not there you could have spent that time moving forward towards ‘Self’-knowledge, which is your goal. In the world of Gods and Goddesses, you cannot do that, and thus you go deeper and deeper into darkness.

It clearly indicates that: -If the human goal is to acquire ‘Self’-Knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana then why one has to indulge in rituals and glorifying the conceptual Gods, Goddesses, and Gurus to go into deeper darkness. Instead,   spend that time moving forward towards ‘Self’-knowledge, which is one’s prime goal.

‘Self’-realization is God-realization.  The ‘Self’-realization is real worship. ‘Self’-realization is the goal of Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.

Since it is eternal and infinite, it comprises the only truth. The goal of Vedic religion, through the various yogas, is to realize that the consciousness (Atman) is actually nothing but Brahman (God).

 The Vedic pantheon of Gods is said, in the Vedas and Upanishads, to be only higher manifestations of Brahman. For this reason, "ekam sat" (all is one), and all is Brahman.:~Santthosh Kumaar 

Gnanis are one in millions for they have ignored the opinions of whole peoples in their independent search of truth.+

Gnanis are one in millions for they have ignored the opinions of whole peoples in their independent search of truth, and questioned all beliefs, all scriptures, all authorities, until they could be proved to be true.

Even the arguments that religions have been followed since time immemorial makes no difference to  a Gnani , because if people have believed a false thing over thousands of years, the length of time does not prove it true.

The Gnani’s position is that if enjoyment comes, he accepts it; if it does not, he keeps quiet. Even when he is taking pleasures, however, he is not deluded by them and he regards them as a passing show he knows their unreality: he does not take them seriously. Clouds do not affect the sky, although they appear to; so the pleasures do not change a Gnani because he is fully aware of the fact that pleasure, pain, and the world are one in essence and that essence is consciousness. .

The Gnani will live according to circumstances. There are no prohibitions for him. He may be a cab driver or a president.

Gnanis do not perform miracles to attract attention to the truth because they are fully aware of the fact that, the universe in which they exist is merely an illusion created out of consciousness.

Even whilst in the stage of imagined experience of objects a Gnani has his realization of the ultimate truth or Brahman. A Gnani is fully aware of the fact that, the form, time, and space are one in essence. There is no division in consciousness.

One who realizes his own Soul, as in deep sleep, is indifferent to pleasure or pain, whereas one who realizes the ultimate truth or Brahman i.e. whole world, feels the pleasure and pain, but they are transient.

 A Gnani is of no special use to the ordinary ignorant man as the latter cannot understand him nor grasp the truth propagated by him. Hence, such men do not need Gnanis to teach them. Only those seekers, who have doubts and questions of the highest order, should follow Gnanis. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar 

A true Gnani can never renounce anything.+

A true Gnani can never renounce anything. It is impossible. He has only renounced ignorance. For Gnani,  the world is an illusion. 

Viewed from the absolute there's neither birth nor life nor death, neither appearance nor disappearance, neither production nor destruction, neither bondage nor liberation. None seeks freedom nor is there any who is liberated - this is the highest truth. 

A Gnani knows that there's neither unity nor plurality - the world is neither one nor many. Just as a piece of rope is mistaken for a snake, the Atman is mistaken for this diverse world. Duality is an appearance and the non-dual Atman is the real truth.  

What is the nature of a Gnani? 

Among thousands of people, scarcely one strives for perfection; and of those who strive and succeed, scarcely one knows the Self in truth. The one who knows the truth beyond form, time, and space is a Gnani. 

The Gnani is endowed with the power of seeing the world in which he exists from the non-dualistic perspective. 

Gnani shares the Self-knowledge of Brahm Gnana or Atma Gnana to the seekers and helps them to reach the ultimate end of understanding. 

A Gnani is unattached to the dualistic illusion though externally living in the illusory world but internally he is not of this world. 

A Gnani has renounced all kinds of worship of religious God, rituals, yoga, and scriptural studies. 

A Gnani’s sole aim is to impart the Self-knowledge of Brahm Gnana or Atma Gnana. 

A seeker, who has to learn to view the three states from a non-dualistic perspective, will be able to cross the ocean of the dualistic illusion. 

The seeker must first know the definition of the ‘Self’ by realizing the ‘Self’ is not ‘I’ but the ‘Self’ is ‘I-LESS- Soul will be able to cross the ocean of transmigratory existence of the form, time, and space. 

Nothing is needed for acquiring Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana other than perfect understanding, assimilation, and realization of ‘what is what”. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Bhagavad Gita says:~ “Don't unsettle the minds of ignorant by revealing the esoteric truth.+

Unsettled people keep arguing from their own standpoint. They just want to exhibit their intellectual wealth accumulated from here and there.

It is better to ignore this unsettled mindset. There is no use in arguing just ignore. Deprived of attention they just become quiet and eventually shut themselves up.

Bhagavad Gita says:~  “Don't unsettle the minds of the ignorant by revealing the esoteric truth."

The Gnani is neither a Sanyasi, nor swami, nor a Guru, nor a yogi. He is above all stages. He is beyond form, time, and space.

Gnani, having realized Atman as dwelling within impermanent states is bodiless, pervades the three states as its formless substance and witness and permanent and eternal.

Both Gnani and the ignorant see the multiplicity, but Gnani does not take the differences that he sees as being real. That is the difference between them.

A Gnani sees the unity behind the differences and considers the form, time and space are one in essence. 

Remember:~

Path of wisdom has to deal with the ultimate truth, not mere words, not this Guru's or that Guru's interpretation.

The key to it is, for a Gnani to be "ever the same." This means he sees and knows only one thing, the Soul, the Self, which is present in the form of Consciousness.

All the interpretation of different scriptural scholars is an arena of conflicting interpretations.

All the gurus of the East and West interpret Advaita from a dualistic standpoint or orthodox point of view and they are still dealing with words, not truth. It proves that they have not understood the Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara.

The Advaitic wisdom is not suited for the unsettled mindset, which sticks to ignorance. There is no use in convincing such a mindset.

Gnani inwardly atoned in perfect understanding of the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.

Criticism can only arise, disagreement can only happen, and contradictory interpretations can only occur when men have failed to grasp Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom.

It all depends on the seekers' capacity to grasp the Advaitic wisdom of Sage Sankara, which is above words and above "interpretation."

Remember that only a few of those who have understood Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom for them contradictory interpretations will never arise.

There will be no two among them, only one. The only test of the correctness of any interpretation of Sage Sankara is whether it tends towards non-duality or not, whether its author has grasped non-duality or not: ~ Santthosh Kumaar

A Gnani is a rational thinker.+

A Gnani is a rational thinker. A Gnani will not be so foolish as to argue with an irrational man; the latter will put great warmth of feeling into his words, whereas the other will remain cool and calm headed, not wasting his time in attempting to reason with someone who is incapable of reasoning calmly, but can only rationalize his emotions.
The Gnani will always be concerned about humanity within the practical world, but at the same time, he is fully aware of the fact that the universe in which he exists is merely an illusion. Gnani, by means of concentration on the true ‘Self’, realizes that ancient, effulgent hidden and which dwells and pervades in everything and everywhere in all the three states as its formless substance and witness.
A crowd in the public place will contain men of varying capacities to understand, of whom only one or two might be ripe for truth, therefore, a Gnani will not indulge in delivering public lectures or indulge in public debate for propagating the Nondualistic or Advaitic truth; people can only lecture for giving out falsehood, the illusions that appeal to the taste of the audience.
A crowd in the public place will contain men of varying capacities to understand, of whom only one or two might be seekers for truth or ripe for truth. If anyone is ripe for truth a Gnani will guide to reach the ultimate end of understanding. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The Self is not within you.+

From the standpoint of the Soul, the  Self, you, and the world in which you exist mere an illusion created out of consciousness. Thus, your existence is merely an illusion. The Self is not within you. 

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness is the real ‘Self’. Consciousness is not limited to you because it pervades everything and everywhere in the whole world in which you exist.

A perfect understanding of ‘what is what’ helps to realize the ‘Self, which is beyond the form, time, and space.

The Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is the ultimate reality or Brahman.

The Gurus, who mix practical life and the practical world and preach Advaita, have made their own cocktail, which leads to hallucination. The question never occurs to them “Is what I have preached is really the truth?

Sermons consisting of ornamental words, the profusion of words, and possessing skilfulness in expounding scriptures are merely for the enjoyment of the intellectuals. They do not help to get rid of ignorance.

Upanishads: ~ Fools dwelling in darkness, but thinking they wise and erudite, go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. (Upanishads Nikilanada - Ch II-5 P-14)

The Scriptures' mastery, the force of religious merit--none of these lead to the realization of that ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth. 

The ultimate truth is revealed in the clear understanding and realization of ‘what is truth and ‘what is untruth'. 

When one realizes the untruth (universe) is created out of single stuff, Self-awareness rises in the midst of duality exposing the unreal nature of the form, time, and space. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

The consciousness is the cause of the universe and it itself is uncaused.+

Consciousness is the cause of the universe and it itself is uncaused. The universe is nothing but consciousness. Modern science has yet to discover the consciousness is the cause of the universe, which was discovered and declared by Sage Sankara 1200 years back.

Advaita is not a philosophy, but Advaita is the nature of the Soul. There is no second thing that exists other than the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. 

At that ultimate understanding - there is only Self-awareness. Existence-consciousness cannot be divided. If one sees divisions they are only apparent and not real. If one takes the apparent as real, then all other factors become real.

The Advaita is the oldest wisdom of India has been buried under the debris of religion, diverse beliefs, diverse philosophy, theories, and ideologies paths and practices.

People misinterpret and falsify as they want to suit their tastes. Advaita is not a theory but the truth, which is beyond form, time, and space. People do not want to inquire into the truth and have no time to investigate, they imagine Advaita in their own way.

So even in the ancient days, people did not care for Advaita; they wanted religion; hence Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana got lost. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana is kept as “the supreme secret by the Sages of truth.

deeper self-search produces the realization of the universal truth. The seeker who achieves perfection in Soulcentric reasoning realizes the truth in time.

The Soul is the Self. Do not search for truth in religion, religious books. Nothing is real but the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Consciousness is everywhere and in everything. Consciousness alone is real and eternal and all else is an illusion.

Those who know the world in which they exist in truth will realize the world in which they exist is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is consciousness. Consciousness is the cause of the world and it itself is uncaused. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar